Efficacy and Tolerance of 2,3-Diphenylcyclopropenone in Propylene Glycol Versus Isopropanol for Treating Alopecia Areata

In a study conducted to compare the efficacy and tolerance of two formulations of 2,3-diphenylcyclopropenone (DCP) for treating alopecia areata (AA), 40 patients were divided into two groups of 20 each to be treated with DCP in isopropanol and DCP in propylene glycol for one year. The results indicated that both groups experienced hair regrowth, with 75% of patients in the isopropanol group and 85% in the propylene glycol group achieving cosmetically acceptable hair amounts. Complete hair regrowth was seen in 35% of the isopropanol group and 25% of the propylene glycol group. The differences in treatment efficacy were not statistically significant (p = 0.95), but the tolerance was significantly better in the isopropanol group (p = 0.17). Despite this, sensitization should be done with the propylene glycol solution. Overall, DCP in isopropanol showed potential as a treatment for AA with comparable efficacy to the traditional propylene glycol formula and better tolerance.